Retirement Planning – TSP Insights

Your TSP is built for saving. Eventually, though, the IRS expects you to start taking money back out. Those mandatory withdrawals are called Required Minimum Distributions, or RMDs. If you have a traditional TSP balance and are approaching retirement age, understanding when…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author May 19, 2026

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Federal Retirement Backlog Begins to Ease

The federal retirement backlog moved in the right direction again in April, offering some relief after the surge of applications that hit earlier this year. Even so, thousands of claims remain in the pipeline and processing times still vary dramatically depending on…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author April 28, 2026

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Unused Sick Leave and Your FERS Pension: How the Credit Works

There is a benefit sitting in your leave balance that most federal employees never fully account for when planning their retirement. Every hour of unused sick leave you carry into retirement has the potential to increase your monthly pension, sometimes by more…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author April 21, 2026

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OPM Makes Progress: Retirement Backlog Shrinks for the First Time in Months

After months of steady growth, the federal retirement backlog finally moved in the right direction in March. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) received 14,759 new retirement claims, including 8,830 digital and 5,929 paper submissions. That is a sharp drop from February’s…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author April 14, 2026

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Sequence of Returns Risk: What Federal Employees Need to Know Before Retiring

Most federal employees focus on how much they’ve saved for retirement. Far fewer consider how market performance unfolds after they begin withdrawals, and that distinction can have a lasting impact. Sequence of returns risk is the danger that poor market performance early…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author March 24, 2026

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Federal Retirees, 2027 COLA Update

Whether you’re one of the growing numbers federal retirees or getting close, the annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment is worth keeping an eye on. The COLA helps your annuity keep pace with inflation, and while the official 2027 figure won't be announced until mid-October,…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author March 17, 2026

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Why Generic Retirement Advice Often Misses the Mark for Federal Employees

Retirement planning advice is everywhere. Save 10 to 15 times your salary. Budget $300,000 or more for healthcare. Maximize your retirement contributions every year. For private-sector workers, that guidance is reasonable. For federal employees under FERS or CSRS, it can send you…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author February 3, 2026

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Access Your TSP Early – Without Penalties

Retirement doesn't always align with age 59½ for federal employees, leaving many wondering how to tap into their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) funds sooner without hefty penalties. The good news is, you can often avoid the standard 10% early withdrawal penalty if…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author January 27, 2026

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The Best Dates to Retire in 2026

The right timing can greatly impact your federal retirement by helping you maximize your annuity start date, annual leave lump-sum payout, sick leave credit, and overall cash flow during the transition to retirement. Poor timing, on the other hand, could mean forfeiting…

Retirement Planning by TSP Insight Author December 23, 2025

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Federal Retirement Backlog Soars

As the fallout from the Deferred Resignation Program and the uncertainty surrounding the federal workforce continue to play out, OPM received 23,393 federal retirement claims in November. Though the deadline for the DRP was September 30, employees who would become retirement eligible…